The Pantheon of Divinities
In Orthonia's cosmology, the deities are very much a physical presence that can be felt by nearly everyone on the material plane. The deities were originally the eighteen kings of a primordial civilization called the Alyton. Though all the deities were originally resolute in their virtue, they had been exposed to a powerful blight during a cosmic battle. Some of them had been able to completely overcome it, with no permanent changes to their character. Some others, though unable to completely cleanse themselves, learned to keep the corruption in check. The remaining deities spiraled down into a corrupt madness, changing their nature forever. These deities are referred to as The Gracious, The Cryptic, and The Forsaken, respectively. The Gracious Adareos * God of Valor and Honor Adareos is the lawful good deity of chivalry and the noble aspects of war, and is also associated with athletic contests. He is depicted as a human, or sometimes as an elf (especially by the eagle elves), clad in plate armor or gladiatorial gear. He is the brother and archnemesis of Velrot, the half-brother of Orenna, and the lover of Emandrel. He is associated with the domains of Light and War, his holy symbol is a shield with a sunburst behind it, and his favored weapon is the longsword. Nyrie * Goddess of Flora and Fauna Nyrie is the neutral good deity associated with animal and plant life, and by extension, agriculture and forestry. She is depicted as an elf, or occasionally as a great beast with glowing green eyes. She is the sister of Sazra, with whom she competes for the romantic attention of Tromar. She is associated with the domains of Life and Nature, her holy symbol is an oak tree with a bird of prey perched in it, and her favored weapon is the sickle. Dradanus * God of Sky and Stars Dradanus is the neutral good deity of the heavenly sky and celestial bodies, including both the sun and the moon. He is also associated with lightning. He is depicted as a human, occasionally as a dwarf, or as an ambiguous constellation of stars. He is the father of Tromar and the brother of Mashaelas. He is associated with the domains of Light and Tempest, his holy symbol is a circle imposed into a crescent, and his favored weapon is the morningstar. Emandrel * Goddess of Healing and the Arts Emandrel is the chaotic good deity of healers, doctors, and creativity. Thus she is associated with the curing diseases and injuries, fertility, and positive energy, as well as artists. She is often depicted as an elf with fair skin, wearing long flowing vestments. She is the daughter of Avonans and the sister of the former deity Ioulath, as well as the lover of Adareos and a close friend of Talovas. She is associated with the domains of Life and Light, her holy symbol is a hand cradling a white starburst, and her favored weapon is the quarterstaff. Laumain * God of Exploration and Adventure Laumain is the chaotic good deity of explorers, adventurers, and risk-takers in general. He is often known for blessing folk heroes who seek to do the right thing at any cost. He is depicted most often as a halfling youth embarking on Longwalking. He is the brother of Corvit, with whom he shares a friendly rivalry. He is associated with the domains of Knowledge and Trickery, his holy symbol is an eight-spoked wagon wheel, and his favored weapon is the sling. Orenna * Goddess of Civilization and Protection Orenna is the lawful good goddess of society and civilization. She serves as a foremost patron of law and justice in most of the world's cultures, and is credited for founding the first paladin orders. She is depicted as a human or dwarf carrying a large, triangular shield. She is the half-sister of Adareos and the sister and archnemesis of Craine. She is associated with the domains of Knowledge and Life, her holy symbol is an arm carrying a torch, and her favored weapon is the halberd. The Cryptic Avonans * God of Roads and Fate Avonans is the lawful neutral deity of travels and journeys, associated with both earthly sojourns as well as the passage from life through death. He is depicted as a hooded figure of indeterminate race, carrying a walking stick. He is the father of Emandrel and the former deity Ioulath, and has a mildly antagonistic (though not belligerent) relationship with the sibling gods Laumain and Corvit. He is associated with the domains of Death and Life, his holy symbol is a pair of crossed roads, and his favored weapon is the light crossbow. Caemandra * Goddess of Commerce and Trade Caemandra is the chaotic neutral deity of economic exchange, and is honored every time goods are bought and sold. She is depicted as a human wearing a wealthy patrician's outfit and jewelry. She is the mother of Moun and a friendly associate of Corvit and Talovas. She is associated with the domain of Trickery, her holy symbol is a set of balanced scales, with a diamond in one pan and a flame in the other, and her favored weapon is the flail. Corvit * God of Fortune and Cleverness Corvit is the chaotic neutral deity of luck and trickery, and thus is a patron of gamblers and charlatans the world over. He is depicted as a human or elf, often with vaguely avian features, using a game set. He is the brother of the explorer god Laumain and a good friend of Caemandra. He is associated with the domain of Trickery, his holy symbol is a pair of playing cards, and his favored weapon is the rapier. Mashaelas * Goddess of Magic and Knowledge Mashaelas is the true neutral deity of scholarship and is the divine steward of arcane magic in Orthonia. She is associated most with wizards, and is highly revered by opal elves. She is depicted most often as an elf carrying a tome and a wand. She is the sister of Dredanus and the half-sister of Kaiteran. She is associated with the domain of Knowledge, her holy symbol is a triangle inscribed within a circle, and her favored weapon is the javelin. Talovas * Goddess of Craft and Manufacture Talovas is the lawful neutral deity of craftsmanship and trades-folk, and is associated with smiths, carpenters, tailors, and similar professions. She is usually depicted as a dwarf wearing an apron and carrying two hammers. She is a close friend of Emandrel, and a frequent associate of Caemandra. She is associated with the domain of Knowledge, her holy symbol is a cross of a hammer and a chisel, and her favored weapon is the maul. Tromar * God of the Earth and Natural Elements Tromar is the true neutral deity of the elements, and he is credited with the creation of the planes. He is depicted as some kind of humanoid overflowing with elemental energy, or as a powerful composite of a fire, water, air, and earth elemental. Nyrie and Sazra vie for his affections in their interpretations on how his creation should be used. He is associated with the domains of Nature and Tempest, his holy symbol is a square with a dot above each side, and his favored weapon is the mace. The Forsaken Craine * God of Oppression and Tyranny Craine is the lawful evil deity of the oppression of people for personal gain, and is invoked by conquerors of foreign lands. He is usually portrayed as a large, armor-clad figure wielding a giant sword. He is the brother of Velrot, the lover of Kaiteran, and the sworn enemy of Orenna. He is associated with the domains of Knowledge and War, his holy symbol is an enclosed fist wearing a metal gauntlet, and his favored weapon is the greatsword. Galather * God of Death and the Dead Galather is the neutral evil deity of necromancy, and obtained the title when he slew and enslaved the previous god of death, Ioulath. He is (not merely depicted) a skeletal mage wearing elaborate robes. He is the most recently realized deity of the entire pantheon, and does not involve himself with the other deities too much. He is associated with the domains of Death and Knowledge, his holy symbol is a jawless humanoid skull, and his favored weapon is the trident. Kaiteran * Goddess of Secrets and Treachery Kaiteran is the lawful evil deity of forbidden knowledge, and she is the mother of secrets; thus she is also often associated with shadows and is the patron of spies and assassins. She is depicted as an elf wearing dark robes and a hood. She is the half-sister of Mashaelas and the lover of Craine. She is associated with the domains of Knowledge and Trickery, her holy symbol is a half-closed eye, and her favored weapon is the dagger. Moun * Goddess of Greed and Hedonism Moun is the chaotic evil deity of avarice and wanton desire, the advocate of all who indulge in acts of pure greed and lust. She is usually depicted as a dwarf enrobed with opulent apparel and jewelry. She is the daughter of the goddess Caemandra and the former lover of Ioulath. She is associated with the domains of Death and Trickery, her holy symbol is a gold and jewel-encrusted scepter, and her favored weapon is the warhammer. Sazra * Goddess of Disasters and Disease Sazra is the neutral evil deity of the malevolent aspects of nature, most notably natural disasters and illnesses. She is depicted as a humanoid wearing tattered druid's clothing. She is the sister of Nyrie, as well as her main rival for Tromar's companionship. She is associated with the domains of Death and Nature, her holy symbol is a scarab beetle, and her favored weapon is the handaxe. Velrot * God of Destruction and Suffering Velrot is the chaotic evil deity of endless strife and warfare, and is associated with all displays of senseless aggression. He is depicted as hulking humanoid wearing a patchwork of sundered armor, wielding a gigantic polearm. He is the brother of Craine and the archnemesis of Adareos. He is associated with the domains of Tempest and War, his holy symbol is a broken shield with a crossed pair of spears, and his favored weapon is the pike.